Grating



May 19, 1942. R. J. BARRY ETAL 2,283,307

` GRATING original Filed sept. 27, i940 ATTORNEY Patented May 19,1942

esame. Richard J. Barry, New Yorkndcarl Rasmussen,

li'luliing,v N. Y., assignorsto Waiter Edward IrvinGlenbroohQonn. v-

original' application september 21.1940, serial No. 358.598. ',Divldefl and-this application Jan. uaryz, 194il,.SeriaiNo. 372,7061-f somma-icl. ca -soif l v- 4'rma appiieauon is a division or our cri-pending application. Serial No.- 358,598, entitledfGrat-.

ings" and illed September. 27, 1940.

' The invention relates to improvements in sectional gratings of a type in which standardized v grating sections or panels are arranged'edge to edge and coupled together in succession to .produce a continuous grating of a required area.-

Important objects of theY invention are to provide, for such a grating, improved coupling. vmeans designed to greatly facilitate assembly and connection of the panels and also greatly facilitate dismantling loi the grating; and vto provide such a grating with coupling means which remain permanently assembled with the individual panels, are designed and located for connection and disconnection thereoifand avoid the usuallaborious and time-consuming bolting,

riveting or welding operations and the dii'-l flculties of dismantling consequent to theusual connections. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The improved grating and its coupling means were devised especially' for the construction of a large airplane landing vmai; for military service -.in an' airiield. The inventionprovides for quick construction o f such a mat at an emergency location and for quick dismantlingv of the matv and .removal of its parts should its location be dis' covered by the enemy` and rendered untenable.

The` inventionV also provides for quick :and easy removal and replacement'of damaged panels in any part of the mat'without disturbing any 'of the other 'panels and their connections. While .the invention is well suited for the purpose menv.tioned its utility is by no means conned to such "service. It may be employed very advantageously 1- in sectional grating structures for many other services..

. In the drawing:

l- 1=ig 1 -isa -planviewof several ofthe grating panels len ibodyins121 1e .invention and showing.

-them'separated and partly broken away;

-Fig.v 2'is a ,view v'similar to Fig. 1 showing the panels-coupled .togethento form a continuous grating? i-is a're'duced-scale plan 'view of one of' the'panels embodying the invention;

I V1'fig.4 is a detail-,sideelevation of one ofthe coupling connections between adjoining panels;

" Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line of Fig. 6 isan Aenlarged detail section on therline For the construction of a* continuous *iu-" a number of metal grating 'panels P are provided. 1

'These may all be of the same size,A shape and construction to render them interchangeable, and a l description of one panel will suillcefor all. r'li'he' panelis of elongated and approximately-.rece

tangular form. Dimensions of twelve and onehalf feet length'and between one and two 'i'eetvl width have been found satisfactory for con- 71%. l l0 venient handling of the panel.

are a number of straight inner bars I 'arranged .in parallel. equally spaced relation and running 'l5 longitudinally of the panel.

.'tudinaledge of the panelthere is a series'of easy assembly oi the panels and quick and easy Along one. longistraight bars or strips 2 extending lengthwise of en dvvise opposed; spaced relation. 4" Ihe. trans- 2D verse spacing Aof the bars 2 from the vadjacent,

bar -I corresponds to the spacing 'of 'the bars I from each other.- Along the opposite end oig'the [panel there is a straight strip-Ilextending from `end to 'end of the panel and spaced approximately j the same distanceI-froln'the 'adjacent-strip .I 'as thestrips I are spaced 'from each other. Inlthe f spaces between the-:strips I and between the f5,

outermost oneseof said vsi-,rips and l'the-.fstrlpsj2f" I" and the stripv I3- there are bars orqstripsalibent into' approximate zig-zag'form 'andrpernianently' l secured at their `bends tothe respective `jbars -I,-2 Y and. It*` by rivetsjl or by welding." Thereby 3.11.01

, the bars-or strips are rigidly' and-1 permanentlygf united in a unitary panelstructure. v f

Each of'theside edge bars -2'is'of'sfilcientlength to bridge the space between two consecu`."' i tive bends of the strips. and` extend materially beyond said bends to formfeoupling tongues 2* -The opposed, spaced ends oi these tongues de- 40 iine a series of -gaps v8 allof approximately thev .same width and equallyv spaced along the panel.

"The strips 2 form the outer'sides of alternate meshes' along this longitudinal edge.'l ofthe-panel and fully close 'saidmeshea Strip I3 -formsthe 4,5' outer side ofclosed meshes all along thatfedge i ofthepanel.-

" Strip I3 slidably bears a s e'ries'of pairs oi couf. pling elementsii. Thesepairs of elementsare f' located upon spaced-portionsofthestrip'which forni theI outer sides of alternate meshes valong-f a .ji

thepanel. Each vof Athese coupling elements or 'j slides is formed foi' a stout, atfstripoi metalk bent into a rectangularloop vor' 'ring and'y with its opposed ends unsecured.' The Igauge ofthe.

.y metal forming the ring maybe ap'p'roxixna tely' The panel is constructed of at metal bars or strips arranged -on edge and deiining the grating meshes. There the panel parano m the bars l and :arranged in that of the strips or bars forming the panel and the ring is large enough to slidably receive two thicknesses of the strips. The width of the rings along the strip I3 and the width of the said gaps 8 are so correlated that a pair of the rings, when closely arranged side by side. can freely enter a corresponding gap in a companion panel. Each pair of rings is conned by the closed mesh in ,which the pair is located and the sliding movement of the rings oi' the pair is limited by portions of the strip 5 forming opposite sides oi' the mesh. By this confinement and by the anchoring engagement oi' the rings with the strip I3 the rings are permanently retained upon the panel and have a limited sliding movement thereon between coupling and release positions.

At each end of the panel there are closed meshes alternating with open meshes and said closed meshes upon the two ends are in staggered relation across the panel. At one end of the panel the bar 'I3 and the strip 5 secured thereto have their adjacent ends welded together, as at I I, to form one of said closed meshes. Another of said meshes is formed by welding together the adjacent ends oi the central bar I and another oi' the strips 5. The adjacent end portions of thek other. bars I extend to form .coupling tongues I l. The portions of the central bar I and the edge bar I3 which form sides of said closed meshes each slidably bears a pair of the coupling rings 9. 'I'hese bar portions are bent, as at I5, to offset them the thickness of the bar material from the body oi the bars. At the opposite end of the panel the closed meshes are formed by welding the ends of the outer ones of the bars I to the adjacent ends of the strips 5, as at I3. The portions of said bars I which form sides of said closed meshes are bent. as at I1 to offset-them the thickness of the bar material and each slidably bears a pair of the coupling rings 3. At this end of the panel the end portion oi' the central bar I forms a coupling tongue Ib, and the end portion of the edge bar I3 forms a coupling tongue I3. The ringszat the end of the panel are also permanently held to the panel -and confined by the closed end meshes for limited sliding movement.

, In assembling the panels P to form a continuous grating companion panels are arranged side to side in longitudinally staggered relation to dispose pairs oi' the coupling rings 9 borne by the long edge bar I3 of one panel in register with the gaps 8 between th'e short edge bars 2 of a companion panel and bringing said panels together with the bar I3 dat-against the bars 2 and the coupling rings within-'said gaps. Then, the coupling rings oi.' each pair are forced in opposite directions and slid over the tongues 2l to splice the panels together side to side. For joining companion panels end to end the tongues Il,

Ib and Illl are placed in overlapping relation to i the offset portions of the bars I and I3 which be'ar the coupling rings at the opposite ends of uthe two panels and the said rings borne by one Vpanel are slid over the tongues borne by the vother panel to splice the panels together end to end. Provision is also made for splicing together threepanels two of which are joined end to end and one of which extends across the joint with its edge strip I3 against the bars 2.of both j said joined panels. For that purpose one of the 4pair of coupling rings! borne by the-adjacent end portion or the strip I3 of `one oi.'v the end toen'd panels, is made to iorm a larger. loop designated 3*. This loop is oi a size to receive both a side tongue 2* ot the panel which extends across the said joint and the end tongue'l of one of the end to end panels. This splicing of the three panels is shown at Il in Fig. 2. Each panel may be provided with one of these large rings to make a three-panel splice wherever three panels come together in the assembly.

It will be seen that the panels and coupling means are designed for conventient and rapid assembly and coupling of the panels. The coupling tongues and rings of each panel are permanently borne by the panel and are in positions for quick connection with the coupling means of other panels. The panels and their coupling means are also designed for convenient and rapid dismantling of the grating or for removal and replacement of a damaged panel lo' durability and at the same time afford a desired yield in the connection between the panels to avoid breaking strain under heavy traillc and accommodate the grating to unevenness ofA the ground upon which it is laid. The sliding nt of the coupling rings upon the bars and tongues which they embrace ail'ords clearance for some iiexure between the panels and, in addition to that, the split couplingrings can spring slightly under aheavy weight upon the grating and avoid breaking strain.

. What we claim is:

l. A tramo-bearing grating comprising a plurality of side-by-side rows of elongated grating panels with the panels of each row arranged end to end and side by side with the panels of an adjoining row to i'orm a continuous grating of all of said panels; releasable coupling connections between the individual side-by-side Apanels' of said rows and each of said connections comprising a coupling tongueborne by one panel, a coupling slide borne by the sidewise adjoining panel and engaging said tongue and means supporting and constantlyretaining saidv slide for sliding upon its respective panel longitudinally of the latter between coupling and release positions; and'releasable coupling connections between the successive end-to-end panels of each row and each comprising a coupling tongue borne by one panel and extendingfrom an end thereof longitudinally oi' the panel, a coupling slide borne by an endwise adjoining panel and engaging the latter tongue, and means supporting and constantly retaining the latter slide for sliding upon its respective parallel tosaid tongues, the coupling tongues 'of eachc section partly overlapping longitudinally said mesh sidesof the otherof the abuttingsecl panel longitudinally oi' the panel between coupling and release positions.

tions respectively, and coupling slides borne by and anchored to said mesh strips against transr versely separation therefrom and engaging said tongues respectively and formed to hold the tongues against transverse separation from the strips and conned for sliding along the strips, within the limits of the closed meshesrespectively, between coupling positionand release position free from the tongues, for coupling and uncou pling the sections.

3. A traiiic-bearing grating including agrating panel including a xed strip extending along an edge of the panel and forming the outer side voi.' a series of closed meshes along said edge, a companion panel arranged in edgewise opposition to said edge of the rst panel and including asethe outer side of `closed meshes along said edge, 'a vseries of pairs of coupling slides borne by said strip'at, a pluralityoi said meshes along the strip and. each pair confined for sliding along the strip,

within the limits of the respective meshes, to

slidably engage coupling tongues upon a com'- panion panel, said slides being anchored to the strip against transverse separation therefrom and formed to anchor said tongues against transverse separation from the strip, and ya series of ilxed endwise opposed shorter strips extending along the opposite edge of the panel and with the end portions of adjacent strips forming a series of pairs of endwise opposed spaced coupling tongues ries of xed endwise opposed spaced strips extendy ing along the panel edge opposed to said rs't'edge and forming pairs of endwise opposed spaced coupling tongues, a series of pairs of coupling slides borne by said strip of the rst panel at a plurality of the meshes closed by the strip and anchoredto the strip against transverse separation and the slides of each pair engaging a respective pair of said tongues and being formed to anchor the tongues against transverse separation from said first panel and thereby couple the panels to-v gether, the slides of each pair being connedby the closed mesh at which it is located and slidable, within the limits of the mesh, along said strip bearing them, between coupling position and release position closer together and at the space between the respective pair of tongues and tree of the tongues, for uncoupling the panels, and

the combined width of each pair of slides being correlated with the space between the respective tongues to permit the slides to pass through" said space for separation of the panels, other-grating panels in edgewise opposition to edges of v,said coupled panels transverse to said first edges, and slide coupling means slidable parallel to said first edges to couple said other panels tothe rst panels at said transverse edges and uncouple -said iirst panels and said other panels at said transverse'edges.

4. A traino-bearing grating including a grating panel including a xed strip extending along an edge of the panel and forming the outer side of a series of closed meshes along said edge, alcompanion panel arranged in edgewise'opposition to said edge of the rst panel and including a series of xed endwise opposed spaced stripsv extending b orne by and anchored to said mesh strips along the panel edge opposed to said rst edge and forming pairs of endwise opposed spaced cou' pling tongues, and a series of pairs of coupling slides borne by said strip of the rst panel at a' plurality of the meshes closed by the strip and anchored to the strip against transverseseparation and the slides of each pair engaging a respective pair of said tongues and being formed to anchorv the tongues against transverse sparation from y said rst panel and thereby'couple the panels'together, the slides-of each pair being conned by the closed mesh at which it is loc'ated and slidable, within the limits of the mesh, along said strip bearing them, between coupling position and re Y lease position closer together and at thespacef between the respective pair of tongues and free of the tongues,for uncoupling the panels, and the* combined width of each pair of slides being 'cortongues to permit the slides to pass throughy said space for separation of the panels. f s f 5. A grating panel including a fixed strip ex; tending along an edge of the-panel-and form-ing `to slidably receive coupling slides. upon another companion grating panel.

6; A grating panel according to claim 5,l characterized in that the panel is of elongated form, said strip-bearing edges extend longitudinally of the panel and the panel includes, along each of its opposite end edges, a plurality `of closed meshes and iixed coupling tongues alternating with the meshes along the end edge and projecting transversely from said end edge to slidably receive coupling slides upon a companionpanel, each oir the last-mentioned meshes comprising a vstraight strip forming one side of the mesh and parallel to thelast-mentioned tongues, and coupling slides are borne by the last-mentioned strips for sliding therealong, within the limits of said last-mentioned meshes, into and out of coupling engagement with similar coupling tongues upon a companion panel, the last-mentioned slides be"- ing anchored to the respective. lastmentioned strips against transverse separation therefrom and formed to anchor the last-mentioned tongues against transverse separation from the 'last-l mentioned strips. 7. A grating panel including along an edgel thereof a plurality of closedA meshes and fixed coupling tongues alternating with said meshes alongsaid edge and projecting transverselyirom said edge to slidably receive coupling slides upon and parallel to said tongues, and coupling slides jacterized in that each of the said slides is in the v form of a loop embracing the strip bearing lt and isof a size to engagev a respective one of said tongues upon the companion panel and the coupling slide borne by an outermost one of said .strips along said 'edge is of a size to slidably ,enf

gage a plurality of'coupling tongues upon a pluother and from said outermost` strip couple together three panels.

l-9. .A` trame-bearing grating comprisinga vplural'ity1 ofl side-by-side rows of elongated grating Vpanels with thepanels of each row arranged end to end and side'by side with the panels''of an related withthe space between the respective adjoining row to form a continuous grating of all Y of said panels: releasable coupling connections between the` individual side-by-side panels ofsaid rows and each of saidconnections comprising a :coupling tongue borne, by one panel, a coupling ,l

slide-borne by the sidewise adjoining panel andf a companion panel, each of said meshes comprisy ing a straight strip forming one side of the mesh 1 v rality of companion panels and anchor the lastmentioned tongues against separationl from each to thereby' engaging said tongue and means supporting and constantly retaining said slide for sliding upon its respective paneLIOngitudinally oi' the latter between coupling and release positions; and releasable coupling connections between the successive end-toend panels of each rowand each comprising a coupling tongue borne by one panel and extending from an end thereof longitudi- -nally of the panel, means forming a closed mesh of an endwise adjoining panel and including a straight strip extending `longitudinally of the last-mentioned panel and forming one side of said mesh and voverlapping said last-mentionedv tongue longitudinally, and a coupling slide mounted upon said strip and conilned by said mesh for sliding within the limits of the mesh` RICHARD J. BARRY. CARL RASMUSSEN. 

